Coin collector



M y 1 1965 c. 1.. BARNHART COIN COLLECTOR Filed Nov. '1, 1963 FIG. I.

FIG. 3.

CARLTON L. BARNHART ATTORNEY 3,182,781 COIN CULLECTOR Carlton L. Barnhart, 2928 W. Lancaster, Fort Worth, Tex.

Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,625 4 Claims. c1. 194-9 This invention relates to coin collectors for use in coin operated mechanisms, such as bottled drink vending machines, and has reference to improvements in the struc tures illustrated and described in my copending application, Ser. No. 174,220, filed February 19, 1962, now Patent No. 3,109,528, dated November 5, 1963. Particularly, the present invention is directed to improvements in the combination of elements illustrated and described in connection with FIGURES 5 through 8 of the referred to patent. While the structure of the patent is serviceable and serves its intended purpose, it'has been found that certain improvements are highly desirable. Such improvements are hereinafter set forth as objects of the present invention.

Coin collectors, as herein referred to, are devices which automatically proportion and direct coins to separate locked receptacles whereby the operator of a coin machine or the proprietor of the establishment where the machine is placed may collect his share of the coins Without the other being present. From time to time the ratio of coins received by the operator and proprietor is changed by mutual agreement, for'example when the cost of merchandise vended by the machine changes. 1

Heretofore reproportioning the coin collector was somewhat involved. In the patent referred to this necessitated changing the cam action, which change could not be conveniently done at the location of the machine. Usually the entire machine was taken to a shop for making the change, or at least the coin collector was removed; in either case the machine was out of use for a period of time during which sales were lost. Another objection to prior machines was that they were relatively complicated and therefore more likely to get out of order than the present simplified construction.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simplified coin collector of the described class which costs less than comparable devices and one which will operate for longer periods of time Without repairs of maintenance.

Another object is to provide a coin collector wherein the ratio of the divided coins may be quickly and easily made, for example, by one or two simple soldering operations.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a coin collector in accordance with the present invention and showing an end elevational view of a stepping relay forming a part thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stepping relay illustrated in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a wiring diagram of the invention.

In the drawing, the coin unit 10 shown in the upper portion of FIGURE 1 is conventional and, as in all such units, includes a switch (not shown) which is actuated by dropping a coin in the usual manner. The switch sets the vending machine in operation, and, in the present invention, additionally has to do with operating the coin collector.

Coins passing through the coin unit 10 fall downwardly through a chute 11 into a first locked receptacle 12, or into a second locked receptacle 13 by way of an angular chute 14 communicating with the first chute. As will become apparent,- most coins fall into the first re- 3,182,731 Patented May 11, 1955 ceptacle 12 and are directed to the second receptacle 13 only when acted upon by a deflector unit 15 located at the juncture of the two chutes 11 and 14. The deflector 11 to allow coins to fall in the first receptacle 12. When the deflector unit 15 is energized, in the manner to be described, the extending end 19 of the deflector plate 18 moves inwardly and directs the falling coin to the second receptacle 13.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2, the stepping relay 21 shown is of the type having a rotating contact finger 22 and a circular arrangement of contacts 23 for coaction therewith. The contacts 23 are mounted in and extend through a disc 24 of insulating material, which disc is supported on and spaced from a base 25 by legs 26. A stationary hub 27 projects from the base 25, and on the extending end of the hub there is a rotatable ratchet 28 on which the contact finger 22 is mounted. There is a reset spring 29 coiled about the hub 27, one end of which spring is secured to the hub and the other end to the ratchet 28.

The ratchet 28 is actuated, one tooth at a time, by means of an actuating coil 30,- armature 31, coacting therewith, and a pawl 32 mounted on the armature. The armature 31 is spring loaded (not shown) to normally retract the pawl 32. The ratchet 23 advances to contact finger 22 from contact 23 to the next adjacent contact 23.

As the finger 22 advances, the spring 29 is wound about the hub 27, but when the finger reaches a certain contact 23a in the disc 24 the ratchet 28 is released and the finger returns to its starting position. Such release is accomplished by a reset coil 33, an armature 34 coactive therewith, a pivoted latch 35, one end of which engages the teeth of the ratchet 28, and a link 36 connecting the remaining end of the latch with the armature. The link 35, which is pivoted intermediate its ends, is shown only in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the terminals of a power source are generally designated at S, one lead 37 of which passes through the coin unit 10 and is connected with one side of the switch (not shown) therein. Another lead 38 is connected with the other side of the last referred to switch and one end of the actuating coil 30. An additional lead 39 is connected with the remaining end of the coil and the power source S. Parallel with the described circuit, there is another circuit comprising a lead 40 from the power source S to the contact finger 22, thence through a contact 23b (hereinafter referred to) to a lead 41 connected with the coil 16 for energizing the same and closing the armature 17. An additional lead 42 connects the coil 16 with the power source S. The coil 16 is wound in such a manner that contact of the finger 22 with the next succeeding contact 23a releases or moves the armature 17 outwardly. A lead 43 is connected between the contact 23a and the coil 16 for this purpose and an additional lead 44 is connected with the last named lead and the release coil 33. The circuit is completed by a lead 45 connecting the reset coil 33 with the first circuit lead 39.

In operation, coins pass through the coin unit 10 thus completing the circuit through the actuating coil 30 and thereby cause the contact finger 22 to advance from one contact 23 to another contact 23, which contacts are distacts the first connected contact 23b, the electromagnet 16 of the deflector unit 15 is energized and causes the coin to be deflected to the second receptacle 13. The next coin deposited in the coin unit It advances the contact finger 22 to the next contact 23a and moves the end 19 of the deflector plate 18 outwardly and that coin falls in the first receptacle 12. At the same time, the reset coil 33 is energized, which action disengages the latch 35 from the ratchet 2t; and the spring 29 returns the contact finger 22 to its starting position.

The wiring of the contacts 23 requires only simple soldering operations; thus the number of contacts 23 passed by the contact finger 22, from its starting position to the first and second contacts 231) and 23a, may be readily changed at the location of the vending machine. Within the spirit of the invention, instead of soldering, connections with the contacts 23 may be by way of threaded terminals.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic coin collector, a coin receiving unit including a coin operated switch and comprising a part of a vending machine, a generally vertical coin receiving chute positioned to communicate with and receive coins passing through said coin receiving unit, said chute being divided beneath its upper end into at least two separate coin passageways, a coin receiving receptacle beneath and communicating with each said passageway, an electrically operated deflector mounted to block one of said passageways and direct coins to the other said passageway, a stepping relay including a rotating contact finger, stepping contacts positioned to be contacted by said finger, and an actuating coil coacting with said finger, a first circuit including the switch of said coin receiving unit connected with said actuating coil, and a second circuit connecting said finger and at least one of said stepping contacts with said deflector.

2. In an automatic coin collector as defined in claim 1, and wherein said stepping relay includes an electrical reset mechanism connected in series with said deflector.

3. In an automatic coin collector as defined in claim 2, the construction wherein said reset mechanism includes spring means returning said finger to a starting position.

4. In a coin distributor mechanism for separating coins deposited in a vending machine according to a predetermined established percentage, having a primary chute leading to a primary collection box, a vend switch interposed in said chute, a secondary coin chute leading to a secondary collection box and connected to the primary chute upstream of said primary collection box, the combination with a solenoid operated diverter adjacent the junction of the chutes adapted to permit passage of coins to the primary box or divert coins to the secondary box, an electro-mechanical multipoint stepper and reset assembly comprising a rotary switch having a dial with a plurality of electrical contact points, a wiper blade, a ratchet and a reset coil spring mounted on a spindle pivotedcentrally of the dial, a stepper solenoid operated by the vend switch, a solenoid operated ratchet release, and an electrical circuit having connections between the vend switch and the stepper solenoid, connections between a selected contact point of the rotary switch and the diverter solenoid and connectionsv between a separate contact point of the rotary switch and the ratchet release solenoid, whereby said stepper, diverter and ratchet release mechanisms are operated at predetermined intervals according to an established coin separation percentage.

No references cited.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC COIN COLLECTOR, A COIN RECEIVING UNIT INCLUDING A COIN OPERATED SWITCH AND COMPRISING A PART OF A VENDING MACHINE, A GENERALLY VERTICAL COIN RECEIVING CHUTE POSITIONED TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND RECEIVE COINS PASSING THROUGH SAID COIN RECEIVING UNIT, SAID CHUTE BEING DIVIDED BENEATH ITS UPPER END INTO AT LEAST TWO SEPERATE COIN PASSAGEWAYS, A COIN RECEIVING RECEPTACLE BENEATH AND COMMUNICATING WITH EACH SAID PASSAGEWAY, AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DEFLECTOR MOUNTED TO BLOCK ONE OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS AND DIRECT COINS TO THE OTHER SAID PASSAGEWAY, A STEPPING RELAY INCLUDING A ROTATING CONTACT FINGER, STEPPING CONTACTS POSITIONED TO BE CONTACTED BY SAID FINGER, AND AN ACTUATING COIL COACTING WITH SAID FINGER, A FIRST CIRCUIT INCLUDING THE SWITCH OF SAID COIN RECEIVING UNIT CONNECTED WITH SAID ACTUATING COIL, AND A SECOND CIRCUIT CONNECTING SAID FINGER AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STEPPING CONTACTS WITH SAID DEFLECTOR. 